Sigyn is sitting up by the fire alone by the time Loki arrives back at the house. While she is used to keeping the boys occupied for long stretches, today felt different, as if she had been abandoned with no word. Vali and Narvi wore on her last nerve, constantly pecking her about the bags by the door that she refused to open, both of them a surprisingly overwhelming task to tackle on her own after her week-long break. Finally Sigyn was able to get them to sleep, too late for her taste, which left her wanting to angrily go to bed on her own. But with Loki still out, and no word when he would return, Sigyn could not rest and woke to write down her thoughts instead of staring at the ceiling.

She is angry with Loki when he walks in the door, and her face shows it. Sigyn only glances at his face, then turns her attention back to the journal on her knees. She is scribbling furiously. Tiwaz, sitting at her side, goes to greet Loki, but decides to turn and run into the back room before reaching his legs.

Loki waits for Sigyn to speak, but she says nothing. He knows that this has just gotten much harder with her already having fuel to be upset. Loki sits beside Sigyn on the floor, and he glances slightly at her writing, his heart feeling a pang of guilt when he sees the many times she wrote the word "alone" on the pages. He wants to tell her everything, the sight of Regin in the Don City, and the stories of Gorr. His visions of destruction, the tree and the fruit that fell before him. Loki wishes she had gone with him to the city so he would not feel so alone in his worry. He considers starting with where he was today, still not sure how to explain his long absence for something that seemed to only take minutes for his psyche.

But then he thinks about the twist in his stomach at the thought of her death, and he is again thrown back to where he was years ago, heartbroken and unable to move forward in his grief. The thought of the children forces him to swallow hard. He doesn't see Sigyn as the angry wife before him; he sees the young maiden looking at him with glassy eyes and a repressed smile, the one who squeezed his hand on the day of their wedding, and who wants nothing more than to feel the affection he so readily told Regin not to waste.

"Sigyn," he says, trying to get her to look at him. She only closes her book, and stares at its cover. "My love, please look at me."

She finally does, her mouth curled in irritation. Sigyn expects to be met with an excuse she refuses to hear, an apology she will not believe, and a promise that feels empty. She is instead met with Loki's lips, his hand cupping her face to him. Loki moves to his knees. He places his hands firmly on Sigyn's shoulders and pulls her up next to him. Her journal falls on the wood before them. Loki stands and sweeps Sigyn off the floor into his arms, and quickly walks to their bedroom, sure to place a charm on the entryway so that the boys could not see or hear them, should they awaken.

Loki does not approach Sigyn with passion or ferocity; his touch is gentle and sure, comfortable and familiar. He quickly undresses and lifts Sigyn's tunic up over her head. Loki gives her no chance to speak or ask questions. He gingerly lays her back onto the bed, positions himself between her legs, and at first grasps her hands in his and kisses the backs of her knuckles. Loki moves from her right hand, then to her left, and pushes his hands down upon hers so that she has her arms out at her sides, his weight pressing down on her palms. Sigyn angles herself for appropriate entry, still apprehensive of Loki's actions, wishing she had a clue what his motivations were. Loki's lips trade with hers perpetually while they move. She does not make a loud declaration when he slides within, only bringing his lips into hers more deeply, and squeezing his hands in their code. While they make love, Sigyn and Loki both feel as though they move as one, her legs encouraging him to change speed to give her proper friction. Loki does not last too long, focused on the thoughts that swirl within, releasing his climax and her mouth all at once. He exhales into her, his whole body shuddering, and Sigyn is shocked when she opens her eyes.

Loki is openly weeping above her, his tears falling onto her face. Sigyn wipes the tears beneath one eye, and then the other. He does not sob or make a sound, but something is overflowing in literal fashion out of his eyes. Her brow furls, and she tilts her head to the side. In all their years, she has never seen him do this. Loki stands and leaves the room to clean up, grabbing his clothes on the way out, and Sigyn is left alone on the bed, her anger fizzled to worry and dread that her strong husband would act this way.

When he is finished at the basin, Loki does not come back to the bed. Sigyn has to stand and wrap herself in a robe before she finds him, back in the front room. Loki is fully dressed and appears to be unpacking the bags by the door. Crouched over, he piles the many books he brought back in a tall column; Sigyn comes up behind him and lays her hand on his shoulder.

"My love, it is so late, what are you doing? Are you going to tell me what is bothering you?"

Loki doesn't answer right away, and finds the small parcel at the bottom of his gear that he had hoped to give to Sigyn in a gesture of affection. He rubs his thumb against the box, and considers that, should he fail, this may be the last opportunity he has to give it to her. Loki stands slowly, gently opening it. He does not meet his wife's eyes.

"Sigyn, I have something for you," he says, and he twirls his finger for her to turn around. Loki finds the clasp and carefully unfastens it, presenting the necklace over Sigyn's head. Nesting neatly between her breasts is his gift: a pendant of three bright green gems, one large and two smaller, wrapped in yellow gold and arranged in a dropped line. The gold chain it sits on is thin and delicate, nearly fading into her skin in this light. It is a near match to the same stones that Loki and Sigyn share with their wedding rings. Sigyn isn't able to see the necklace properly, but she places her hand on the jewels while Loki closes the chain behind her. "Narvi picked it out, and Vali found the chain. It is the true color of hope, and the symbol of our small family." Sigyn holds the pendant up to her face to get a better look, and takes a deep breath in of surprise at its beauty. Loki does not wish for Sigyn to have any doubt over him, and decides that part of what he said to Regin said best how he is feeling now. "Sigyn, you are my greatest ally, our children, the only real treasure I have known. I wish not to make you feel slighted, alone, or cast aside."

Loki turns Sigyn towards him, and he raises her face to his with an index finger, as he used to do so long ago. "I pray you forgive me."

Sigyn's face contorts in confusion and hurt. "Forgive you? For what?"

Loki holds Sigyn's hands, but does not meet her face. "My errand is not over. I must go back to the Don City. I have seen something I cannot ignore." He shakes his head slightly, his eyes tearing up yet again while his gaze shifts to the floor. "I am sorry to break my promise to you."

Sigyn shakes her head slightly, repeating his motion with her so that he would meet her eyes again. "A promise?"

"My promise to never leave you for a battle."

"Oh, Loki," Sigyn says, sounding concerned but not upset. "A battle? With who?"

Loki can only shake his head again. "With someone, with some thing, who is hell-bent on destroying every Vanir and Aesir soul who ever lived." He looks into Sigyn's blue eyes and leans in. "I have to stop him, Sigyn. At any cost."

Sigyn breathes in sharply while Loki speaks, suddenly hit with fear. Loki would surely not throw such alarm for a trivial threat. "At..." she swallows hard to repeat these words, nearly choking up herself. "At any cost, Loki?"

His hands go to her shoulders again, squeezing inward. "I cannot let this monster take you, or take our children. I will die before he ever gets that chance."

Sigyn puts her hand on Loki's face, finally understanding his want to be close to her so, and she sheds silent tears. Her heart aches and beats quickly, and she wishes she could ease his mind beyond letting him leave. "You are the greatest warrior, the greatest sorcerer, and a better father than I could have ever known," she says, and she stands on her tip toes to kiss Loki on the forehead. Loki sniffles in his tears as she does. "If anyone could stop a menace, especially one determined to leave desolation in his wake, it is you." Sigyn moves to take Loki's hands, and she kisses his wedding band. She squeezes three times and stares into his eyes as she speaks:

"But please, please, my love, come home to me."